And I Am Thankful.....

Every year for the past 6-7, we have received fresh, NC-made sausage from our friends Billy Day and his wife Sandra,  (brother to my employer, Mel). It is the main highlight of many breakfasts  (sausage biscuits, dontcha' know!) and I use it to make dressing for the turkey on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Alas, I just received word that owing to the recent death of the sausage man's wife, he will no longer be making sausage.  I am in mourning. We have never had such good sausage; it was perfectly seasoned and always tasty, no matter how it was used. I am sorry for the sausage man's loss, but I confess to being sorrier that we won't have it any longer. 

And yet, I am thankful for the pounds of it that we have consumed for the last few years and will (must) be content with the memories of those times.

At home today, basking in the warmth of my recliner and my laptop, I am very thankful that I am not out in the melee known as Black Friday. We have haircuts later this morning and I will gladly go out for that and perhaps pedicures afterward. I am always thankful for a pedicure!

We  (Mel Day and the gang) start Christmas decorating tomorrow; Sullivan's restaurant and the Hampton Inn at Brier Creek first and the NC Governor's Mansion on Monday. I am always exhausted after doing it, but I would not miss it for the world and I am ever thankful to have the God-given the talents I have that make it possible.

Our family  (sans son and his family) gathered together yesterday at our younger daughters home, along with son-in-law's parents, sister, brother-in-law and assorted children and girlfriends. We are so blessed to have them in our family and our lives. I can truly say a good time was had by all, and of course, some excellent food passed through our lips  (as well as laughter.) Beef tenderloin, baked ham, turkey breasts, dressing, potatoes, beans, mac and cheese, gravy, rolls - I'm sure to be leaving something out. Then came desserts:  apple pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate chess pie and bread pudding; the latter two made by my son-in-law. He has a newly discovered fondness for baking delectable treats - and we approve!!  And I am thankful.

Lastly, among the many treasures in my life, I am grateful for my blog and Facebook friends. You bring me many hours of pleasure each week  (who am I kidding?  Every day!!) Thanks for all your posts, comments, asides, jokes, cartoons and yes, even the inspirational sayings and photos. I am grateful for it all.

Happy Thanksgiving

(A repost from 2005)

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Here's hoping you will have bounteous tables, full of turkey and all the trimmings (or your family's favorites) and a good time had by everyone. For those of you who are missing a loved one this year, may your good memories sustain you through the holidays, and help to fill the emptiness.

I drew this pilgrim while in elementary school, probably 6th grade, at a time in my life when I had little knowledge of what gratitude was, or whether I had anything for which to be grateful other than the latest toy or a new pair of shoes.

As the years passed and I matured, the realization of all that I should be deeply grateful for sunk in and remains:

My family (all generations), my home, my talents, the opportunities I have been given in this life to grow and prosper, my friends (on-line as well as real-time) and mentors, the animals I have cared for and loved, for the beauty of our planet, for my daily bread, and for whatever is my lot afterward.

Take some time, this Thanksgiving, to reflect on those whom you are thankful for - and tell them. Tell your Maker also. Tomorrow may be too late.

Thanks to all of you who frequent these pages, both lurkers and commentors, and know that you are appreciated beyond measure. Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Christmas decor begins Saturday and runs through the end of next week. I'll see you when it's over!

A Funeral Anecdote

When my son graduated from college, he worked in an office, where he met and formed a friendship with an African-American guy who was about his age. They have remained close friends over a 25 + year period, even though both have moved from that area, until that guy was killed in a car wreck, last week. 

My son wanted to attend the funeral, and he drove 40+ miles to get there. He didn't know what to expect, but after the minister spoke about the deceased, one by one, friends and family members got up to say a few words about the guy  (whom I will call "C".)  There were over 200 people there and quite a few wished to speak. 

Sonny Boy had not written out what he planned to say, but he had given it some thought beforehand. Apparently, C was a wonderful guy, who would do most anything for anyone, but he was a bit disorganized. He told my son a story about something he did once - and Sonny Boy thought they should all know about it. 

C was asked by an acquaintance if he would be an usher in his wedding, and true to form, C agreed. He was given the details of the wedding location and about the tux rental. On the day of the wedding, C set off to find the church and once in that neighborhood, he saw an open church where it was obvious a wedding was about to begin. He parked and rushed in, and noticed that his cummerbund was not quite the same color as the other men, but before he could question it, the wedding director handed the mother of the bride to him and said...."Here, walk her down the aisle." He did, and when he got back to the vestibule, the bride appeared in a doorway. He then knew that he was at the wrong wedding. He rushed out of that church and drove around the neighborhood, looking for another church that appeared to have a wedding that day. Sure enough, he found it, a bit late but just in time to discharge his duties. 

The funny part was this:  while he was walking the mother of the bride down the aisle, the photographer was taking photos of the two. All C could think of afterward was to wonder what the bride, groom and their parents would say when they saw their wedding photos and realized that the mother's escort was someone unknown to any of them!    

My son said the whole congregation erupted in laughter and it helped to change the funeral from a sad occasion to a true "celebration of the life of C. " 

There was a bit of synchronicity with a photo too. About 3 weeks before the guy died, my son's wife was looking at some old photos. They found a photo of C, dandling his then baby daughter on his knee, dressed in a Halloween costume. Sonny boy put that one on his dresser, lest it get lost. After he got word of the guy's passing, he decided to give that photo to C's now 22 year old daughter. She had few photos of herself with her dad, and now this one will be especially dear to her. Wasn't it good luck that they found that photo when they did?!

It Has Been a Very Busy Week.....

here at Casa Kenju and I am happy to have at least one day to relax and do as little as I can possibly manage. 

On Monday I went to physical therapy, on Tuesday I took mr. kenju to the doc and to his pipe smoker's club and spent the day in-between by cleaning the house because, on Wednesday, I hosted my book club here  (along with the author of the book we read) and on Thursday, I had to prepare for a weekend wedding, and on Friday, I did the wedding flowers and delivered them on Saturday.  Whew!   When am I going to start remembering that I am in my 70's?  I often bite off more than I ought to be chewing, but I thank God for the ability to do what I do - no matter what it is. 

All members of a book club ought to be able to experience the presence of an author they have just read at the discussion meeting. I cannot explain how immeasurably it adds to the experience of reading when you are able to ask questions and discuss the novel with the author. The book we read was titled "Sister India"; written by local author Peggy Payne. This was her second book; the first was "Revelation" and the third is "Cobalt Blue." Peggy is delightful and she was a great addition to our meeting - no matter what was discussed. Of course, we all shared food and beverages, as usual, and it was all delicious. I got to show off my new home as well, and it seems to be a hit with the ladies. 

The wedding flowers were for an old friend I have known for almost 30 years. This is the third wedding I have done for her family, and I was very pleased to be asked to help with this one. I learned, however, that I should never attempt to do another one by myself - no matter how small it is. They all involve filling, lifting and carrying 5 gallon buckets of water - something I should not be doing any longer. I did enjoy the actual designing, though, especially the wrist corsages I made for their grand daughters. My bride asked for something fun, wild and crazy and I had a good time choosing ribbons and accessories for them. The wristlets are three stretchy pearl bracelets, so I added some pearl buttons to the base of two ribbons on each corsage. The colors she chose were orange, lime, magenta and cobalt blue  (a synchronicity, that....lol) and bright, happy colors are so much better  (in MHO)  than baby pink and white - which we see in so many weddings. She asked for orange lilies, blue delphinium, roses and something to cascade - and I used Hawaiian lime green dendrobium orchids - my favorites.

She wanted to carry her bouquet atop a clutch purse that one of her granddaughters had made for her with duct tape. The bouquet had to be somewhat flat for that purpose, as well as the fact that they wanted to be able to lay it on the table at the reception, and use it as a centerpiece  (but with no vase.) My "flat on the bottom" tear-drop-shaped bouquet filled that order.

I made six boutonnieres, all somewhat different and four wrist corsages with wild and crazy colored ribbons to match the colorful flowers. How fun it was!! Advance photos on Facebook brought lovely comments from the bride's daughter and others. 

The altar vases were filled with all the wild colors too. It is probably a good thing that the chapel is mostly white. The red carpet is reflected in the brass vases. 

I did not see the bride before the ceremony and I always hope to be able to, if for nothing else than to get her approval on the flowers. If something is wrong, there is always the possibility of correcting it before the wedding. Additional comments on Facebook indicate that she was well pleased, so I am happy with a job well done. That is always a good feeling!

Quotes of Note

Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass. 

Confucius, philosopher and teacher (c. 551-478 BCE) 

*******

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. 
Criticize me, and I may not like you. 
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. 
Encourage me, and I will not forget you. 

William Arthur Ward, college administrator, writer (1921-1994) 

There is a story on ABC today about Amy Robach. Amy was talked into having the first ever mammogram on air  for Breast Cancer month. Her co-workers reasoned that she is 40, the age that women are urged to have a mammogram, and she had not had one yet. So she agreed - and they found cancer. 

I wish her all the best for the future - her surgeries and treatments will not be easy. 

My problem with it is a comment I saw about the article (on Facebook):" Someone said "God bless you, Amy" and a reply under that said "God didn't bless her when he gave her cancer, so why should he bless her now?"      How sad is that?          

I just checked, and that comment has already been removed. There was an almost instant response to that comment, by me and others. I guess the commentor - Helen - thought better of it and deleted it. 

Where do people get the idea that God gives us illnesses and problems? Our troubles are all the result of our actions and thoughts and choices. God gave us freewill.....and we always have to face up to the choices we make....sooner or later.....whether bad or good. 

God is love. God is good......always. He gives us life and we make of it what we make of it. Please don't blame your troubles and your illnesses on God. 

Paparazzi........Circa 1940

My mom, wheeling me in a stroller in downtown Charleston, WV, in 1941. 

Back in that era, there was a roving photographer taking candid photos of random people on the street, and offering them as postcards to the subjects. I'd liken them to the paparazzi of today, except they didn't endanger life and limb and they didn't seek out celebrities, but common folk. 

If you are old enough, you remember the days when people didn't venture out of their homes without being fully and well dressed, including hats and gloves. My mom was not wearing gloves here, but I had my mittens on. I find the casual dress of today makes for an easier life, but I admit to missing the days when we dressed up. I think there is a correlation between the lack of manners and rude behavior that we see daily and the state of dress we currently employ. People who are dressed up seem to behave better, don't you think?  

Dry and Withered, and other Words

On the day of my birthday, the Word of the Day in the Miriam-Webster email I get every day, was "sere", which means dry and withered. My first thought was...."Are they trying to tell me something?"

And over at Wordsmith, which I also get daily,  one of last week's words was "Pecksniff", which means pretending to have high moral principles; sanctimonious, hypocritical. It is taken from a character in Charles Dickens's novel Martin Chuzzlewit. Earliest documented use: 1844. Charles Dickens describes Pecksniff like this: "Some people likened him to a direction-post, which is always telling the way to a place, and never goes there."  I'm sure you know people like that - I know I do!   

Another word at Wordsmith was "Smellfungus". I confess to never having heard that one before.  It is a habitual faultfinder or complainer. It comes from the name of a hypercritical character in Laurence Sterne's 1768 novel, A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy. Earliest documented use: 1807. "The learned Smelfungus travelled from Boulogne to Paris, from Paris to Rome, and so on; but he set out with the spleen and jaundice, and every object he pass'd by was discolored or distorted. He wrote an account of them, but 'twas nothing but the account of his miserable feelings." I am well-acquainted with one who views the world through smoky glasses; I just never knew what to call him before.....LOL

A Very Good Day......Until...

Why on earth did I decide to go to the mall on Sunday?

The day started out well; we left before noon to have lunch with Mel (my employer and friend) and his family, who were celebrating his mama's 94th birthday, his sister-in-law Pat's birthday (the 2nd)  and mine, as well (even though mine was last week). This is the 3rd year Mr. kenju and I have been invited to the family gathering, and we are so pleased to be included. 

Mel makes the main course and we all contribute something to the meal. I made two apple pies, and we had London broil, mushrooms, lima beans, roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole, grape salad, rolls, 2 cakes and tea or coffee. The food is always fresh and delicious and today was no exception. 

We left Mel's and took the scenic route home, so Mr. kenju, who claims he is all too often a "prisoner" at home, could see some of Raleigh. On the way, I had what I must now call a brain fart.....and decided to drop Mr. kenju off at home and go to the Apple store at the mall. My phone has been messing up since I downloaded OS7. 

I must tell you that I hate malls with a passion accorded to little else in my life and this one in particular is a killer. I have only been there once this year. Why I decided to go there on Sunday, I will never know. It took 10 minutes driving around to find a parking spot. The crowds inside approached the levels we see during after-Christmas sales  (and yes, they are fully decorated for Christmas already, another one of my peeves.)

The Apple store looked like Times Square in NYC or M Street in Georgetown at 2am, which, if you haven't been to either, would shock you to see the numbers of people milling about at that hour. Just as I located a clerk to advise me about the phone, I received a call, which I took; moving me to "the back of the line" with the Apple associate. After waiting longer, she checked my phone and found that the "zoom" setting was on, making the numbers/letters on the phone too large to control. I am not sure how that happened.....but anyway, she fixed it. If the phone continues to mess up in the near future, I will take it back and let them put it on their diagnostic tool. I walked around the mall for a bit, dodging crowds, and finally found my way to my car. 

The phone call I took in the store was Mr. kenju; telling me that he started reading the newspaper we got today and kept having a sense of deja vu. He checked the date and it was last week's paper!  How weird!  I am going to call the paper tomorrow morning and complain. Considering how much we have to pay for it, I'd like to know we're going to receive the current issue, not one from a week ago. It's always something......isn't it?

If You Were a Realtor.....

and you met with a couple to talk about listing their home for sale, don't you think you would contact them fairly soon thereafter, instead of waiting 2 and 1/2 weeks??!! Note: This was written just after we listed the house in July.

This team  (husband and wife)  told us they were leaving on a week-long vacation two days later, and that they would try hard to get something in the email to us before they left. If not, they said they would call us as soon as they returned. They called.....18 days later. 

Of course we have already chosen another realtor; one who showed considerable interest in selling our home. She has been very responsive, and has initiated calls or email to us nearly every day since we told her that we would list with her. 

The part that gets to me is that the other team, who have both been in real estate for many years, and who are with one of the most prestigious real estate firms in this area, should know better. 

At the time they called my husband, I was brushing down the pool and writing  (in my head) a letter I planned to send to the president of their firm. I thought he might like to know how they had short-changed that firm by not showing a bit more speed and enthusiasm for listing our home. 

How does one get into the newspaper in the list of Top Sellers every year by such actions?  

If there was some reason they were loathe to list our house, all they had to do was call or email and say "We have decided not to list your home." I would certainly have wanted to know why, but at least we would not have been hanging on by a thread - waiting for a call. It was also a bit of a disservice to the other two real estate agents with whom we met, since it caused us to delay our decision by 8 days.

All in all it is a crappy way to do business. When I was a wedding florist, if I took more than 2-3 days to get a proposal out to a bride or her mother, I was almost guaranteeing she would sign with someone else. People don't like to be kept waiting, especially when other pressing decisions depend on that one. 

Those people are old enough and have enough experience in the business to know that......I still can't believe that's the way they work.